This creamy, cheesy pasta sauce is a great foil for the pound of butternut squash scattered throughout the dish. The best part? The noodles are cooked right in the sauce—no separate pot of boiling water needed.

The addictive cheddar cracker is all grown up, thanks to a little heat from the cayenne and a hint of sweet pepper from the pimiento. This dough can be formed into a log and stashed in the freezer so it’s on hand for whenever you just happen to need a party appetizer. Let thaw in the fridge overnight before slicing.

A cookbook that puts the sexy back into cheese. A book that qualms all that California FOMO. A collection of recipes that heal the heartbroken and sick. These books—and a handful of others—make up the stack of cookbooks that made the kitchen a better place in 2018.

Ravishing, like a fairy in a vast taffeta ball gown. The pastry will shatter, which is rather lovely, offering wisps of crispness with the soft, creamy cheesecake. This is lighter and less rich than most.